Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 7: The Andaman & Nicobar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ANCCI) has welcomed the appointment of Dr. Dinesh Sharma as the new Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, expressing hope that his administrative experience and development-oriented approach will give fresh momentum to the Union Territory’s economic growth.
Welcoming the appointment, ANCCI President Dr. K. Chandran Sekheran said the Chamber was hopeful that Dr. Sharma’s leadership would help accelerate development across key sectors and open up new opportunities for the Islands.
The Chamber said the Andaman & Nicobar Islands have considerable untapped potential in tourism, fisheries, marine activities, shipping, logistics, renewable energy, hospitality, MSMEs and other emerging sectors. It also highlighted the strategic importance of the Islands in strengthening India’s Act East Policy and developing the region as an important centre for sustainable economic activity in the Bay of Bengal.
ANCCI said better air and sea connectivity with the mainland and international destinations would be among the key requirements for unlocking the Islands’ economic potential. It also stressed the need for expansion of tourism infrastructure, promotion of high-value and sustainable tourism, and creation of a more investor-friendly business environment.
The Chamber further called for faster development of roads, ports, jetties and logistics facilities, along with greater support for MSMEs, start-ups, fisheries, food processing and local entrepreneurship. It said the Islands could also emerge as a strategic hub for maritime trade and logistics while creating more employment opportunities for the local population.
At the same time, ANCCI emphasised that economic development must remain aligned with protection of the Islands’ unique ecology and environment.
The Chamber expressed its willingness to work with the Lieutenant Governor and the Administration on development-related initiatives and said greater coordination between the government and the private sector could help unlock the Islands’ economic potential.
Dr. Chandran Sekheran wished Dr. Dinesh Sharma a successful tenure as Lieutenant Governor and expressed hope that his leadership would take the Andaman & Nicobar Islands towards greater development and prosperity.
